By DAVID COULTER

Published at 09:11, Monday, 23 July 2012

CORBRIDGE recorded their first league win of the season in emphatic fashion as they thumped Blagdon Park by 85 runs.

Brilliant bowling from David Hardy (5-21) and Andy Dover (5-15) allowed Park to post just 36 runs as the Tyne Valley side celebrated a morale boosting win.

Batting first, Corbridge found the going tricky and lost their opening pair early on.

Middle order runs from Dasika (18), Dover (21) and Atkinson (15) coupled with wayward bowling by Blagdon which contributed 25 wides, resulted in a total of 121.

This score was considered by most spectators to be a good 30 runs short of what was needed to be reasonably defendable against a strong Blagdon, who were third in the table.

The Corbridge bowling lines were pinpoint accurate, though, and a wicket was taken in each of the first four overs.

These were followed by a further three maidens to pile the pressure on the Blagdon middle order.

Reeling at three runs for four wickets, they could score off only one ball in Andy Dover’s first seven overs.

The Corbridge fielders ably supported their bowlers, with Fowler and Hardy both taking exceptionally sharp slip catches to Dover’s bowling.

By the 14th over, Blagdon were floundering on 12-6, and while the tail put up some resistance they were finally skittled out for just 36.

There was a vital win for Tynedale neighbours Stocksfield too, their total of 181 runs 86 better off than what their opponents Bates Cottages could produce.

Opener Alex Brown was their leading light as he whacked his way to a fantastic 79 off 121 balls.

Zak Walker (23no) and Dan Wylie (17) also chipped in with useful contributions to put Stocksfield in a commanding position.

Bates’ reply was disrupted by the might of Paul Watson who claimed eight wickets, eventually finishing with figures of 8-49.

Alex Brown (2-14) took the others, sending Bates packing on 94.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk